31 Days to Build a Better Spouse

Today I'm reviewing Ashley Pichea's new e-book, 31 Days to Build a Better Spouse, which is officially available today. (You can also join in the Twitter discussion using #31DBBS.)

One of the things that really struck me was the very first paragraph of Day 1 {emphasis is mine}:

Before I can begin to ask God to change my spouse – to pray for his godly character to be developed and matured – I must be willing to be changed myself. I must humble myself before God, submitting to His sovereign will, and allow Him to use my prayers to change my own heart.


Pichea, Ashley. 31 Days to Build a Better Spouse (Kindle Locations 134-136). 

As I began praying for my own husband a couple years ago, I honestly didn't understand why God kept pointing all my prayers back to myself.  It took me a while to figure out that God was going to change my heart in preparation of changing my husband's, but I'm so glad he did.  It's a wonderful thing to know that Manny and I are on the same page in how to manage our household and raise our boys.  I know this would not be the case if God had changed him without changing me first!

Each day starts with a short quote or song lyrics that are relevant to the daily topic.  Good, solid advice is then interspersed with and backed up by scripture. The day's reading wraps up with a brief prayer to get you started.   From salvation to strength, and humility to respect, I honestly think Ashley includes all the topics that we would normally thing of to pray over our spouse, and a few we probably don't.

31 Days to Build a Better Spouse touches on all the characteristics God wants us to have.  Characteristics that, with His leading, will help us become a person after His own heart.

I really enjoyed the topic of Obedience:

It is not enough to know what the Bible says – we must also allow it to change how we live.
Pichea, Ashley. 31 Days to Build a Better Spouse (Kindle Location 559). 

How true this is!  

Folks, we can talk and talk and pray a thousand times a day, but if we aren't modeling Godly behavior in our own life, what incentive is there for our spouse to be obedient to God's will for his or her life?

I have really enjoyed my time with this book and look forward to being able to go back and read it through one day at a time when I can focus on each prayer topic daily.  In fact, I'm going to share my book with my husband and ask him to pray these prayers over me as I pray them over him.

This is a great book and I highly recommend it for anyone with a spouse or spouse-to-be, regardless of gender.    So go get your own copy and start praying!

PDF / Kindle / Nook

Praying for my sons - week 1 link up

This week has been a challenge for me.  I have been challenged at work by an extremely busy scheduled that left me little time to stop and pray.  I have been challenged at home with disobedient and neglectful children that leave me tired and frustrated. I have been challenged by my own problems, by situations not entirely within my control that pull my focus to myself instead of my responsibilities.

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thes 5:16-18

But in this, I have been disobedient and neglectful.  I must stop letting these situations interfere with time spent on my knees in prayer for my boys.  It is my duty to them and to my Lord as their mother.